Automatic moulding device for cheeses



July 6, 1965 B. P. LE BoEUF AUTOMATIC MOULDING DEVICE FOR CHEESES Filed Nov. 14, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 GCE y/ M EMV/@M July 6,

1965 B. P. LE BOEUF 3,192,626

AUTOMATIC MOULDING DEVICE FOR CHEESES iled Nov. 14, 1962 5 Sheets-Shiet 2 i f` )2), p 3 m A' @j D 15 i e2 D K A w l `U K )D 3 f? N l\ 2 *i Lf www/ WWA A am YA m v A A N /fwfA/ra@ fn/,4,912 P401 55am/F' HrTX July 6, 1965 B. P. LE BOEUF 3,192,526

- AUTOMATIC MOULDING DEVICE FOR CHEESES Filed Nov. 14, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 6, 1965 B. P. LE BOEUF AUTOMATIC MOULDING DEVICE FOR GHEESES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 14, 1962 United States Patent C 3 192,626 AUESMA'HC DEVH FSR CHEF, ES Bernard Paul Le Boeuf, Avranches, France, assigner of one-half to Ateliers ot Chantiers de Nantes, Lretagne- Loire, Nantes, France, a corporation oi France Filed Nov. 14, i962, Ser. No. 237,5@ 3 Cieinrs. (Cl. 33t-49) The present invention relates t-o the manufacture of cheese and is directed to an apparatus which enables hand moulding to be replaced by a mechanical moulding which a continuous cycle.

This device comprises in succession a milk-coagulation station with advancing troughs which receive the milk with rennet and ferments added, comprising means for cutting the coagulated mass, a moulding station for the curd by emptying the troughs into moulds, and a draining station for the moulds, the three stations co-operating in a continuous cycle.

With the device, instead of ettecting the coagulation in a special vat from which the curds are taken to ll the troughs, the coagulation is carried out in the troughs themselves, and these troughs are moved following a continuous cycle up to the device by which they are transferred into the draining moulds.

In the coagulation stage there is provided a cutting operation, in which the mass of curdled milk is cut-up into small portions which permit the serum to close to come into internal contact with the cut-up portions. This cutting operation can be eifected by longitudinal or transverse cutting or longitudinal and transverse cutting simultaneously, or alternatively circular cutting.

The coagulation station is arranged so as to ensure a duration of travel of the troughs which is sufficient to effect the complete transformation f the milk to curds. This movement is obtained by displacement of the troughs on successive horizontal or vertical tracks, with transfer means from one track to the following track. Or alternatively it is eiected by means of a continuous chain conveyor.

The moulding station may be of any type intended to ensure continuous operation. In particular, moulding is advantageously effected by the displacement and the emptying of the troughs into the draining moulds in a dcvice of the endless-chain type.

The draining station may lbe constituted by conveyor belts in the usual manner, one carrying away the lled and treated draining moulds and the other bringing back the empty draining moulds to the moulding station. However, instead of single horizontal belts, the draining may be carried out in a multiple-track device in which the draining moulds circulate in a similar manner to the troughs in the coagulation station.

This device not only eliminates the necessity of the manual work of handling in the successive transformations of the milk, but it offers the further advantage of ensuring great regularity and uniformity of the operations, favourable to conditions of hygiene and constant quality of the cheese. It also ensures a greater productivity of the dairies.

The accompanying drawings represent by way of nonlimitative examples, the forms of embodiment of the device according to the invention.

FIG. l is a general diagram of the installation.

PEG. 2 shows a more detailed view of the coagulation station in vertical longitudinal section.

FlGS. 3 and 4 show a perspective view of the detail of a curd-cutting device.

FIG. 5 shows a further cuni-cutting device.

FIG. 6 shows the moulding station ywith a portion of the draining station in vertical section.

Patented July 6, 1955 ICC FIG. 7 shows a further construction of the draining station.

Shown in a diagrammatic manner, the installation comprises a coagulation station itl, a moulding station ll operating by overturning of the carrying troughs, and a draining station l2.

Following this latter, there is provided a demoulding station i3 for the cheeses with return of the empty draining moulds to the moulding station lil.

The coagulation is carried out in troughs 34 which are a kind of elongated tanks of semi-circular section, travelling inside the station it?, the duration of travel being calculated so as to ensure the complete conversion of the milk, to which is added rennet and ferment.

The empty troughs 34 are brought in at 14 (FIG. l) at the lower part of the coagulation station l@ in front of a distributor (46 in FIG. 2) which is supplied with milk with rennet added, supplied by a distributor pump (not shown). After having received its charge of milk, the trough 34 is pushed onto the lower rail of the system of tracks or rails 33 and travels along the path indicated by the arrows, by means of the lifts 35, 37, froml the lower rail at l5 up to the upper rail at lf. 0n the upper rail, the troughs are subjected to the action of a cutting device 44 before being led Y through the discharge T17 to the moulding station il.

The movements of the lifts and 37 by means of the jacks fue and 323 are effected conjointly with the to-and-fro movements of the trolley 2S.

The station il comprises an endless chain 1S (FIGS. l and 6), the lower part of which dips into a tank 19 containing serum. T he trough containing the curdled milk coming from the coagulation station at 49 (FIG. 2) is led by a conveyor [si into the endless chain i8 at the position 2@ (FG, l) or Sd (HG. 6).

This trough 54 then receives an empty draining mould S5. This mould is made up of a number of bottomless containers of cylindrical, prismatic 0r other section, depending on the inal shape which the cheese is required to have. The assembly comprised by the trough 54 and the mould 55 is driven by the endless chain i8 until it arrives at the .position 2]; (FIG. l), after having lbeen immersed in the tank i9. During this movement, the curdled milk is passed from the trough 54 into the mould 55, and the moulds 5S reaching 21 are full and are pushed by the jack 6% into the draining station l2. The drainer mould is detached from the assembly and is transferred to a conveyor 22 arranged so as to permit the desired amount of draining. The separated trough is withdrawn from the chain lil, cleaned if necessary and is brought back at 23 to the coagulation station, where it re-enters the cycle.

rhe drainer-moul-ds carried by the conveyor 22 then pass into the station i3, in which they are turned over and the cheeses are die-moulded at 2d, and are then carried by a conveyor 2S towards the storage and ripening section.

The empty (trainer-moulds are taken at 26 and sent back by 2'7" to the station ll, after washing if necessary.

In the form of construction shown in FIG. 2, the coagulation station comprises a pusher frame or supporting casing V23 mounted on rollers 29 travelling on rails 3i). This casing may therefore be given a longitudinal movement of translation by the action, for example, of a jack 3l. This movement is indicated by the arrows 32.

This casing co-operates with an assembly of rails 33 forming superposed tracks. Each of these rails 33 forms a sliding track for the side extremities 8i) of the troughs 3d. At 35 is arranged a lift actuated by a jack 35, receiving the troughs 34 and the uprights of a rail 33 on the rail immediately above.

A further lift device of the same kind is provided at 37 and actuated by a jack 3S, and nally a third lift device is provided at 39, actuated by the jack 4).

At 41 and 42 are arranged slides which provide for the aise-eee n; I outward passage ot the full troughs or for the admission of the empty troughs. rl`he movement of the troughs is effected by a jack d3. At le islocated a Curci-breaking means or cutting device with its operating system 45.

The combination of vertically reciprocable lift means, adapted to receive supports thereon, the supports being slid onto and oliC of the litt means by horizontally reciprocable pusher means, is of course old as such, as in U.S. Patent No. 2,459,524.

In this coagulation unit, the empty troughs are brought in at 87 and moved down by the lift device 39. At the position 14, the trough receives from a pipe arranged as a distributor of stainless steel, supplied by a dosing pump, a pre-determined quantity of milk to which has been added rennet and ferments. Then the trough is progressively pushed onward by the troughs successively introduced, until it reaches the extremity of the rail 33 on the lift device 3S. At that moment, the trough 47 is mounted on the track 33, along which it moves from left to right. It is then lifted to the stage above and so ou.

On the last rail, that of the` upper portion, the trough in the position 4S is subjected to a cutting operation by the device 4d. This cutting may be carried out oy the device illustrated in FlGS. 3 to 5.

1N FlGS. 3 and 4, the cutting device moves laterally. t is made-up of vertical elements Sil, spaced apart in the form of semi-circular plates, the dimensions of which correspond to the insides of the trough 4S, and connected together by horizontal wires S1.

The whole assembly is xed to an operating means, such as a rod S2 coupled to the operating jack 45 (FlG. 2).

When the trough 43 comes under the device dil-82, the latter is actuated by the jack and passes down into the trough (FlG. 4), the plates 3u and the wires 8l making vertical cuts in the mass of curds, thus dividing up this mass and rendering it permeable to the serum resulting from the coagulation contained in the trough d8.

In FlG. 5, the cutting device is of the rotary type. it

the blades 83 are stretched wires 65. The blades and the wires are of stainless steel. A means for driving the shaft Sli in rotation is indicated diagrammatically at 86. When the trough 4S comes in front of this device, the latter is set into rotation and this rotation forms radial and circular passages in the mass of curds, facilitating contact of the serum with the interior of this mass.

These longitudinal, vertical or circular cutting means may, of course, be utilized separately or simultaneously, depending on the degree of cutting required.

After the cutting operation, the full troughs are brought to 49 and finally pass out of the apparatus over the lixed slide 41, which leads them to the moulding station.

As shown in FG. 6, this station comprises an endless chain 13 driven by a detent wheel Stl. This wheel 5d is driven by jacks 5l and 52, with a device 53 for maintaining it in position. The chain l receives at 54 the full trough brought in by the slide 4l. To this trough is tixed a drainer mould 55. The coupling of the troughs to the draners is obtained by any convenient means, in particular by means of distributors 56. The assembly 54-55-56 is driven by the chain 18 which moves` in the direction of the arrows 57-58. portion, it turns over as shown. The curds which were contained in the trough pass into the drainer moulds and the serum flows into the tank 19.

When the assembly 54-55-56 comes level with the slide 59,-the drainer mould 55 is detached from the trough 54 `and from the distributor 56. The mould 55, .filled with cheese, is pushed by the jack on the conveyor plate or belt 22.

As this assembly passes to the lower The empty drainer-moulds are brought on to the chain 1S by a slide or conveyor 27 so as to be able to carry out a further operation. in particular, it is possible to use a slide Z7 with a driving frame having dogs ti?. actuated by a jack 62.

instead or" the usual draining shown diagrammatically in FlG. 6, this can be made automatic, as shown in FlG. 7.

ln this construction, the moulding chain 18 1s assoc1- ated with a device ot similar design to the coagulation station of 2.

A pusher-frame 63 is mounted on rollers 64 travelling on rails 65, and can therefore receive a longitudinal reciprocating movement of translation by the action of the jack 66. rhis pusher-frame is associated with an assembly of lixed slides 67 forming supports tor the travel of the rainer-moulds.

At 63 is provided a lift device operated by the jack 69. At 7J,V a further lift device is actuated by the jack 7l. A third litt device is provided at 72, driven by the jack 73.

The overturning and desmoulding devices are shown at 7-4.- and 75. nach of these is composed of a rotating drum actuated by a jack 76 and of a feeder fork 77.

When a drainer-mould is pushed on the lift 72, the fork 77 is actuated by the jack 73 and slides under the drainer, carrying the latter away with it and introducing it into the slides of the `drum or 74. The jack '76 causes the drum 75 to make half a turn and the fork 77 then brings it back into the lift.

ln the same way, the cle-moulding of the cheeses can be carried out.

. The invention is of course not limited to the arrangementsV which have just been described above. It may include all alternative forms or equivalent devices. In particular, the methods of travel of the troughs and the drainers may be edected by conveyor devices of any other types, with chains for example.

What claim is:

Il. Apparatus for making cheese in troughs, comprising a coagulation station including a plurality of vertically spaced and superposed substantially horizontal tracks, vertically movable lift means for receiving troughs therefrom and tor moving troughs between vertically superposed ends of the tracks, a pusher frame having portions disposed adjacent each end of the tracks, means for reciprocating the pusher frame horizontally so that reciprocation of the pusher frame in one'direction pushes troughs from the lift means at one end of the tracks in said one direction onto the tracks and reciprocation of the pusher frame in the other direction pushes troughs from the lift means at the other end of the tracks in said other direction onto the tracks, and Curci-breaking means positioned adjacent the path of said troughs for insertion into the troughs to break up the coagulated mass in the troughs.

2.' Apparatus as claimed in claim l, said apparatus including means for inverting the troughs and for draining liquid from the cheese in the troughs.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, said apparatus includinU means for introducing into the troughs milk and a coagulating agent.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS teams 12/91 Davis 31-48 FoRErGN PATENTS 1,229,830 9/6() France.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

CARL W. ROBINSON, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING CHEESE IN TROUGHS, COMPRISING A COAGULATION STATION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY SPACED AND SUPERPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TRACKS, VERTICALLY MOVABLE LIFT MEANS FOR RECEIVING TROUGHS THEREFROM AND FOR MOVING TROUGHS BETWEEN VERTICALLY SUPERPOSED ENDS OF THE TRACKS, A PUSHER FRAME HAVING PORTIONS DISPOSED ADJACENT EACH END OF THE TRACKS, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING THE PUSHER FRAME HORIZONTALLY SO THAT RECIPROCATION OF THE PUSHER FRAME IN ONE DIRECTION PUSHES TROUGHS FROM THE LIFT MEANS AT ONE END OF THE TRACKS IN SAID ONE DIRECTION ONTO THE TRACKS AND RECIPROCATION OF THE PUSHER FRAME IN THE OTHER DIRECTION PUSHES TROUGHS FROM THE LIFT MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF THE TRACKS IN SAID OTHER DIRECTION ONTO THE TRACKS, AND CURD-BREAKING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PATH OF SAID TROUGHS FOR INSERTION INTO THE TROUGHS TO BREAK UP THE COAGULATED MASS IN THE TROUGHS. 